# PUB Reader vs Noteshelf

The clearest difference is review sentiment: Noteshelf at 57% against PUB Reader's 7%. Noteshelf also leads on price (Free vs $14.99) and rating (4.6 vs 3.9). PUB Reader's advantage is in-app purchases (none vs 17) and iOS requirement (11.0 vs 18.0). On ads and device support there is nothing between them.

Noteshelf is free to download; PUB Reader costs $14.99 up front. Noteshelf sells 17 in-app purchases, starting at $4.99 per 7 days. PUB Reader asks for nothing beyond the download.

Noteshelf holds the better App Store score, 4.6 against 3.9. That said, the two scores are not equally well evidenced: Noteshelf has 7.1K ratings behind it against 48, so its average is the more settled of the two. Written reviews point the same way: 7% of PUB Reader's written reviews are positive against 57% of Noteshelf's.

PUB Reader ships an update every 7 months, Noteshelf every 5 days. The most recent releases landed on October 7, 2026 and October 23, 2026 respectively.

## The numbers

| Metric | PUB Reader | Noteshelf |
| --- | --- | --- |
| Price | $14.99 | **Free** |
| Rating | [3.9 (48 ratings)](https://appshunter.io/ios/app/pub-reader-for-ms-publisher/id1273208568/reviews) | **[4.6 (7.1K ratings)](https://appshunter.io/ios/app/noteshelf-ai-notes-and-pdf/id6458735203/reviews)** |
| Number of ratings | 48 | **7.1K** |
| Positive reviews | 7.1% of reviews | **56.9% of reviews** |
| In-app purchases | **No** | Yes |
| Ads | No | No |
| Update frequency | Every 7 months | **Every 5 days** |
| Monetization | Paid | **Free with in-app purchases** |
| Size | 163 MB | 558 MB |
| Requires iOS | **11.0** | 18.0 |
| Devices | iPhone, iPad, iPod | **iPhone, iPad, Mac, Apple Watch** |
| Age rating | 4+ | 4+ |
| Developer | [RootRise Technologies Pvt. Ltd.](https://appshunter.io/developer/594431033) | [Fluid Touch Pte. Ltd.](https://appshunter.io/developer/318004740) |

## What reviewers say

### PUB Reader

[App page](https://appshunter.io/ios/app/pub-reader-for-ms-publisher/id1273208568)

Open, read, and convert Microsoft Publisher documents on your iOS device. Easily view document outlines, page thumbnails, and search text. Export files to Word or PDF formats for further editing.

**Highlights:** Open and read PUB files, Export to Word (.docx, .doc), Export to RTF, Export to PDF, Document outlines and page thumbnails, Text search and copy, Document management and organization

**Features:** Vision Pro support

**In-app purchases:** none


### Noteshelf

[App page](https://appshunter.io/ios/app/noteshelf-ai-notes-and-pdf/id6458735203)

Create handwritten notes, annotate PDFs, and record audio with this app. It offers extensive customization for notebooks, a variety of writing tools, and AI-powered features for summarization and translation. Organize your thoughts and documents seamlessly.

**Highlights:** Handwritten note creation, PDF annotation and markup, Audio recording with notes, AI-powered summarization and translation, Customizable notebooks and templates, Handwriting to text conversion, Document scanning and import

**Features:** Family Sharing, Siri integration, Apple Watch app, Vision Pro support

**In-app purchases (17)**

| Purchase | Price | Billing |
| --- | --- | --- |
| Noteshelf 3 Weekly Premium | $4.99 | per 7 days |
| Noteshelf 3 Weekly Premium | $4.99 | per 7 days |
| Noteshelf 3 Weekly Premium | $7.99 | per 7 days |
| Noteshelf3 Weekly Premium | $7.99 | per 7 days |
| Noteshelf3 Monthly Premium | $9.99 | per month |
| Noteshelf3 Monthly Premium | $19.99 | per month |
| Noteshelf 3 Yearly Premium | $19.99 | per year |
| Noteshelf3 Yearly Premium | $29.99 | per year |
| Noteshelf3 Yearly Premium | $39.99 | per year |
| Noteshelf 3 Yearly Premium | $39.99 | per year |
| Noteshelf Premium Yearly | $49.99 | per year |
| Noteshelf3 Yearly Premium | $49.99 | per year |
| Noteshelf 3 Yearly Premium | $69.99 | per year |
| Noteshelf3 Yearly Premium | $79.99 | per year |
| Premium | $99.99 | per year |
| Premium for Noteshelf 2 users | $9.99 | one-time |
| Noteshelf 3 Premium - Lifetime | $14.99 | one-time |

**What reviewers like**

- 🚀 Smooth handwriting experience
- 📚 Versatile note-taking features
- 🎨 Customizable templates and covers
- 🔍 Accurate handwriting recognition
- 💻 Seamless integration across devices

**What reviewers complain about**

- 🐛 Frequent crashes and freezes
- 🔄 Sync issues between devices
- 🔒 Concerns about privacy and data security
- 🔍 Unreliable search functionality
- 🔧 Buggy or missing features from previous versions

**Reported bugs**

- Notebooks failing to open or sync correctly
- Handwriting recognition not working as expected
- Imported PDFs losing formatting or functionality
- Unexpected loss of data or notes
- Compatibility issues with older devices or operating systems

**Requested features**

- Add ability to create folders within notebooks
- Improve page organization and navigation
- Implement a more intuitive color picker and pen customization
- Introduce a history/undo feature for linked pages
- Add support for custom stickers and templates


## Frequently asked questions

### Is PUB Reader free?

PUB Reader costs $14.99, with no in-app purchases.

### Is Noteshelf free?

Noteshelf is free to download, with in-app purchases available.

### Which has better reviews, PUB Reader or Noteshelf?

Noteshelf is rated higher. PUB Reader averages 3.9 out of 5 from 48 ratings, while Noteshelf averages 4.6 from 7.1K ratings.

### Do PUB Reader or Noteshelf have ads?

Neither PUB Reader nor Noteshelf shows ads.

### Which is updated more often, PUB Reader or Noteshelf?

PUB Reader ships an update every 7 months, and Noteshelf every 5 days. Most recently, PUB Reader was updated on October 7, 2026 and Noteshelf on October 23, 2026.

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*Compared by [AppsHunter](https://appshunter.io/) from daily US App Store data. Review summaries are generated from verbatim App Store reviews.*